


It Happened Slowly

by NikAdair



Series: You're My Forever Loves [5]
Category: Haikyuu!!
Genre: BokuAka Week 2020, Touch, akaashi getting comfortable being affectionate in public, college students, hints of bokuakakuroken - Freeform
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-08-04
Updated: 2020-08-04
Packaged: 2021-03-05 19:28:53
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,590
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/25710649
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/NikAdair/pseuds/NikAdair
Summary: It had started while they were out at the park, sitting under one of the cherry blossom trees, their petals starting to fall around them. They’d been there to have a picnic and enjoy the warmth of the sun before it started raining that week. Bokuto was talking about some volleyball match he’d had that Akaashi had missed (at no fault of his own, he’d argue) and Akaashi had interlaced their fingers. Bokuto had stuttered for half a second before continuing, his face tinged red, and Akaashi had pulled his arm around his shoulders, their hands resting against his shoulder.Bokuto stopped mid-sentence and looked down at him. Akaashi just smiled, telling him to continue with his story. He did, but kept glancing down at him the entire time, disbelief written very clearly on his face. Akaashi would be lying if he said he didn’t chuckle a bit at seeing him like that. But it was fairly cute to say the least.
Relationships: Akaashi Keiji/Bokuto Koutarou
Series: You're My Forever Loves [5]
Series URL: https://archiveofourown.org/series/1864117
Comments: 2
Kudos: 94
Collections: BokuAka Week 2020





	It Happened Slowly

Akaashi had never really been an overly affectionate or touchy person. When asked about it, he’d often say he had a touch aversion. Which wasn’t entirely true. He just never saw the appeal of always having to be physical with someone when out in public.

It was why during the first week he and Bokuto dated, he did little more than hold hands in public. And even then, it was Bokuto who had to initiate it. It was foreign to Akaashi to reach out and hold his hand. To not let his thoughts wander to what anyone seeing them thought. To not let himself think they were judging him.

In private, however, away from the prying eyes of the world, in the safety of one of their apartments, Akaashi let himself relax. He’d let himself be hugged by Bokuto. Pulled against his chest with Bokuto’s head resting on his shoulder. Pulled into his side while they watched a movie or while they did homework. Pulled into his lap while they talked about nothing.

It was also where he felt the most comfortable letting Bokuto kiss him. In public, he felt like everyone was watching him. Judging him. Whispering about him. Even when they were somewhere without anyone else, it still felt like he was being watched. But at home -- his or Bokuto’s -- he let his guard down.

It took some time before he could do that around Kuroo and Kenma as well. Kenma often teased him for being so weird about it. Never in a way that was meant to hurt him. He did it in that way Kenma would tease Bokuto or Kuroo. Akaashi would always wave it off, telling him he didn’t have much room to talk when he was the same way.

But eventually he got comfortable enough to let himself be pulled into Bokuto’s lap while they hung out with the other two. To let Bokuto pull him into a kiss, laughing at the gagging sounds they’d get from their friends. To let himself be cuddled while staying the night with the others.

And he knew Bokuto was happy they had gotten to that point. Could tell in the way his touches lingered just a second longer. In the way his smile seemed to be just a bit brighter. In the way his eyes softened when he pulled him close. Akaashi could say he found himself falling for Bokuto just a bit more when he saw him like that.

-.-.-

A month into their relationship, Akaashi started letting Bokuto hug him in public.

It had started while they were out at the park, sitting under one of the cherry blossom trees, their petals starting to fall around them. They’d been there to have a picnic and enjoy the warmth of the sun before it started raining that week. Bokuto was talking about some volleyball match he’d had that Akaashi had missed (at no fault of his own, he’d argue) and Akaashi had interlaced their fingers. Bokuto had stuttered for half a second before continuing, his face tinged red, and Akaashi had pulled his arm around his shoulders, their hands resting against his shoulder.

Bokuto stopped mid-sentence and looked down at him. Akaashi just smiled, telling him to continue with his story. He did, but kept glancing down at him the entire time, disbelief written very clearly on his face. Akaashi would be lying if he said he didn’t chuckle a bit at seeing him like that. But it was fairly cute to say the least.

This slowly bled over to other parts of their lives. They’d be out with the Cats (as Akaashi had started to call Kuroo and Kenma; Kenma had apparently started referring to him and Bokuto as the Owls, so it was only fair to call them the Cats) somewhere -- more often than not the bookstore Akaashi worked at -- and he’d pull Bokuto’s arm around his shoulder or his waist, enjoying the way Bokuto’s fingers hovered over him before settling against him.

It took Bokuto a bit before he would start doing it himself, always hesitant, as though asking for permission. But even that slowly faded away, Bokuto taking the lead and pulling him into a side hug while they walked. Every time he did, it made them both smile, just a little.

This also started affecting how Akaashi acted with the Cats. He’d often find himself taking hold of Kenma’s hand, enjoying the little blush that spread across his face, while Kuroo and Bokuto walked ahead, talking animatedly about whatever. He liked the way his hand fit in his. Kenma’s hands were smaller, but fit perfectly against his.

He’d also find himself leaning against Kuroo, letting him wrap an arm around him whenever they waited in line for something. Oftentimes, Bokuto would be bouncing too much and couldn’t keep still, so Kenma would be with him, showing him some new game he was playing to keep him calm. It felt different leaning against Kuroo. He wasn’t as built as Bokuto, and he was a few inches taller, so his hand rested in a different place. But Akaashi liked it all the same, and knew Kuroo did too by the way his smile often softened.

-.-.-

It was another month until Akaashi finally felt comfortable kissing Bokuto in public.

They were out at the bookstore as per usual (they had been there so much over the past few months that Akaashi’s coworkers had started greeting them by name) and were wandering the aisles. They didn’t really have any intention on buying any books, they just wanted to wander among the shelves of books. It was comforting being surrounded by so many different stories, even if they knew they’d never have enough time or interest to read them all.

They’d wandered back into the fantasy section when Akaashi pulled on Bokuto’s hand, causing him to stop. Bokuto turned towards him, head cocked to the side a little, and Akaashi leaned up, giving him a soft kiss. He could feel his face heating up, and when he pulled away, Bokuto’s was bright red as well.

“Wow,” Bokuto whispered, his eyes awestruck. Akaashi laughed a little, taking his hand and leading down the aisle. Bokuto followed, lagging a little from what Akaashi assumed was shock at having been kissed. Not that he blamed him. Had the roles been reversed, he was sure he’d be rooted to the spot.

Kenma had gotten a kick out of hearing about it, which was to be expected. He’d heard Akaashi talk about wanting to do it for the past week and watched him try to get the courage to actually go through with it.

Turns out after the first time, it was a lot easier to do it a second time. And a third time. And a fourth. Each time took Bokuto by surprise (not that Akaashi wasn’t surprised himself, but Bokuto didn’t need to know about that). The first time they’d kissed in public in front of the Cats, Kuroo had started laughing his hyena laugh at the way Bokuto froze, causing them to start their dumb game of chase (thankfully they’d been at the park, so it didn’t matter too much) while Kenma just smiled at him. Akaashi could see the pride in his eyes though, and it filled his chest with warmth.

Eventually their kisses became as casual as their hand holding and hugs, and Bokuto slowly grew accustomed to kissing him first. The first time had taken him fully by surprise, and unfortunately it had been in front of the Cats (he says unfortunately, but really, he was just glad Bokuto had gotten the courage to do it, even if he had a suspicion that Kuroo had kept egging him on).

Akaashi froze mid step, knowing his face was bright red by the way it felt like he had a fever. He could hear Kenma snickering behind him and Kuroo cheering. But Bokuto kept his arms around Akaashi’s waist, smiling softly down at him. “Is this okay?” he whispered. All Akaashi could do was nod, looking up into those golden owl eyes of his. Bokuto smiled more and kissed him a second time before letting go of his waist, turning back around to continue the way they’d been walking.

Kuroo wrapped an arm around Bokuto’s shoulders, praising him for finally getting the courage to kiss him, and Akaashi stayed where he was, one hand reaching up towards his lips. Kenma nudged him, shaking him from his stupor.

“It’s not like that was your first kiss,” Kenma said, his lips quirked in a half smile.

“No, but it is the first time Bokuto’s kissed me in public,” Akaashi responded in a half whisper. It felt like his thoughts were lagging, trying to catch up with what had happened.

Kenma rolled his eyes, taking his hand and pulling him along to follow behind the other two. “Come on. If we don’t catch up, you know they’re going to get into some sort of trouble.”

As if on cue, Kuroo and Bokuto took off down the sidewalk. Kenma sighed, already looking like he regretted ever knowing them. Akaashi followed in step, biting his lip and watching Bokuto’s back run ahead.

He was glad they’d gotten to this point in their relationship, where they could be the type of affectionate that he often saw from other couples. It made him feel more normal about everything. That was something he could really only thank Bokuto for. And he was very thankful for Bokuto.

**Author's Note:**

> Day Five of BokuAka Week 2020!  
> The prompt I used was Touch (Cuddling, Hand Holding, Huddling for Warmth). I think my favourite part of this one was how I wrote Akaashi's progression of being comfortable doing all the couple-y things in public with Bokuto and the Cats and how it just feels like a natural progression into BokuAkaKuroKen.  
> Also, we're not gonna talk about my use of cheery blossom trees cause I know they bloom in the spring, and this fic series takes place in the fall, so it doesn't fit. But given that cherry blossoms represent love and that's what this series is about, I didn't want to change it.  
> Anyway, I hope you enjoyed it!


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